Starlight
by Child of Galifrey
Summary: Luke may be the smartest human alive but the one thing he doesn't understand still is girls. And he's met one who might just teach him a thing or two about the Universe. But can he trust her? Prequel to Ice, which itself is a prequel of Reunited.
1. Who the hell are you?

**Hello all! Yet another Rawnie story, I know, I know, but after I wrote about how she met Jack in Ice, which is practically finished but just needs wrapped up ( unfortunately I **_**did**_** write it but my computer blew (not my fault, my mother's) so I'm waiting to retrieve the documents) But I wanted to write about how Rawnie met Luke. But unlike with Torchwood she does not use the direct approach –why would she this a Scooby gang not an official organisation which by being a part of gets her out situation and grants access. You'll see what I mean. Enjoy x And thanks for reading**

"_Who the __**hell**__ are you?"_

"Later Dad!" called Maria as she headed up her garden path to cross the street to 13 Bannerman Road. Which, to the ordinary onlooker looked like a normal house on an average street. But Maria knew better. As she checked the road while trying to keep her hair dry in the abnormal summer downpour she heard a voice calling her.

"Maria! How was your weekend? Your Dad alright?" Clyde who had been jogging along at a steady pace, stopped to wait outside the drive as she crossed over. His hood was down despite the heavy rain. He tried to tug it back up but the wind blew it back. With a shrug he gestured for them to keep on going.

"Oh yeah. He's fine. It was good – apart from the fact that Mum and me had to spend Saturday in A&E"

"Why? She's alright isn't she?"

"Oh no. She's fine"

"So why were you in A& E?"

"Ivan sliced his hand open with the letter opener. And you?"

"Erm..._interesting_. But you'll see when you meet her" He grinned as Maria rang the bell, thinking she'd misheard him; expecting Luke to come bounding down the stairs to open the door grinning or for Sarah Jane to ask if they wanted a cuppa as she let them in on her way to the kitchen.

But it was not Sarah-Jane who opened the door. Or Luke. Or even K-9.

"_Who the __**hell **__are you?" _she exclaimed.

"Oh that's nice. Whatever your selling we're not - oh. Oh hello. You must be Maria. Hey Clyde." The girl grinned. She stood in the doorway wearing a white tank top, artfully faded dark blue jeans and purple high tops. Her dark blonde hair was tied up in a loose chic bun – the kind that were intentionally messy. Her blue eyes twinkled as she observed them. "Luke and Sarah are just upstairs in the attic. I was taking 'em tea – care to join?"

Clyde all but jumped over the threshold and tried to take the laden tray from the girl. "It's cush, I've got it. Why not give Maria a hand?" she suggested and Clyde slid out of his sodden hoodie turned round to pull at a struggling Maria's equally soaked Denim jacket. The girl, not taking a blind bit of notice at the spectacle was already half way up the stairs but Clyde saw that she _was _troubled trying to balance the tray with one hand , while gripping the banister firmly with the other.

"Coming?" she called midway. Clyde looked quizzically at Maria who returned his puzzled gaze before following the girl upwards, as they climbed Maria said in passing, "It's _Sarah – Jane_ she _doesn't like_being called Sarah"

"She does by me" replied the girl as she pushed open the door. "Look what the cat dragged in." She said with a smile as she set down the tray and handed round cups.

"Oh hello , Maria, Clyde."

"Hi guys" greeted Luke from the attic steps, turning round from a piece of alien tech which looked surprisingly like a polished black marble Rubix Cube. Maria noticed that this girl lingered behind Luke as she passed him his tea, as if observing the cube. Suddenly she flopped down beside him and put one arm around his neck and with the other, took the cube, fiddled for a minute before it broke open and began to play a heartbreaking melody. Her jaw dropped. Who **was **this girl? She called Sarah Jane , Sarah and didn't get reprimanded for it as Maria had only 3 weeks earlier. She was entirely too casual around Luke. And judging from her attire – she _lived here. _

"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude or anything but _who _are you?"

"Oh sorry! Hello! My name's Jane Smith. I'm kinda seeking refuge in Sarah's house" she said standing to shake Maria's hand.

_Jane Smith. Imaginative. _Thought Maria. She blinked, she could have sworn she saw Jane smirk as they shook hands.

Clyde grinned as he all but knocked Maria out of the way so as to sit on Jane's other side. "Smith is Sarah Jane's last name"

"Nothing get's past you!" Maria caught Sarah-Jane's eye and saw a strange gleam there. Sarah Jane said " For example, one of my best friends is a Mr. John Smith"

"Lots of people are called 'John Smith'" said Clyde, not cottoning on.

"Yeah. My brother's called John" agreed Jane.

Maria caught sight of Jane's face, the eyes were hard for a moment, something none of them were meant to see before, her expression cleared: smiles again.

"So, Jane, how **did **you end up here? In this crazy life? Assuming she knows all the details?" Sarah – Jane nodded, smiling.

"Well..."

**So , the first chapter of the first of what I have come to call the Rawnie Origins Trilogy. This is the prequel of **_Ice_ **which is the prequel of **_**Reunited. **_**So this then, **_**Ice, **_**then **_**Reunited. **_


	2. Bye Bye Bonehead

"Bye-Bye Bonehead"

Luke slammed his way into the stairwell. School was deserted. Maria had gone home early for her 2 weeks away, but Clyde, who was staying in the area for the holidays was going to see a film with his mum at the cinema so Luke was left to face this thing. Alone. Scared. _Hunted. _This was his last refuge in the building. It had almost got him in the Art corridor; he'd only escaped by climbing out that small window – now _there_ was a slim fit then running along the connecting DT roof and climbing through his English classroom window. Good old Mrs. Farthing always left it open.

His breathing was heavy and irregular. He clattered down the stairwell and decided his best chance was to simply make a break for it and get Mum. "Uh-oh" he breathed "Guess I wasn't exactly quiet getting away" he tried to tip-toe. But unfortunately he didn't see the model of the Eiffel tower which the Year 9 French class had made out of matchsticks. As he turned the little phosphorous headed sticks rained down upon him with a resounding crash as the plaster base tipped over. Two things happened at once.

The exoskeleton _thing_ burst into the locker area and further down the corridor a door was flung open. "Hello there" cooed the girl thickly at the creature at the other end. "Who's a big boy? Who's a lovely..._Hoix _then? Who wants a big thick juicy steak?" she waggled the prime beef at it and it stole along, past the frozen Luke, towards her, entranced by the promise of the cut of meat. For where he stood, all that Luke could make out was that she had long blonde hair and a leather jacket. Waving it in front of the beast, the girl, not breaking her hypnotic tone, spoke to him directly. "Get out then. Now." He began, stupidly, to move towards her, she couldn't handle this on her own...he head snapped up, her blonde hair swishing out of the way of her deep blue eyes which were filled with a warning that he was too slow to comprehend. "I said RUN!" Both Luke and the ...Hoix did she call it? Broke out of their trances. Taking her advice, Luke bolted and the Hoix would've had her hand off is she hadn't chucked the steak into the air for it to snag between its jaws.

He fumbled for his mobile to call Mum, this girl, whoever she was, would need help. Somewhere, she called out. "Leave it, no need to call your mum!" he turned to see her leaning out of the second floor window he had crawled through earlier. "I'm fine! I'll just lure it out, dissolve it and heck, may only escape by the skin of my teeth, but hey, no-one's perfect and at least it'll be interesting. See you Luke. Or not" she grinned as she shut the window and left his eyeline.

As he began the walk home, Sarah Jane's pea green car rounded the corner. "Luke! Are you alright? You were taking ages so I thought..."

For some reason, Luke saw the girl's face behind his eyes, and felt compelled to lie. She hadn't said not to tell anyone but he wanted to keep her a secret, for now, at least.

3 days had passed, for it was the beginning of the summer holidays and for Luke, everything had been quiet, even by his standards. Despite the quiet, Luke had forgotten about the mystery girl who had saved him. That was – until she came knocking on his door.

"Hi there, Luke"

"Who-it's _you"_

"Yep it's _me._ I wonder why the signal directed me to your house?" Seeing the confused look on Luke's face, she shoved something red and bleeping into her pocket and rearranged the smile on her face.

"You're not plasma based are you?" she prodded him in the forehead.

"Nope, thought not. Bye, bye Bonehead."

"Wait!" he grabbed her wrist. "I wanna know a few things – I think you have the answers"

She shrugged, letting him lead her into the hall, towards the living room, which was empty.

"Nice house. Big too...err, you can let go of my hand now." Luke blushed and dropped her hand.

She smiled awkwardly and brushed past him to flop down on the sofa. Today he got a clear look at her – long blonde hair, the blue eyes, lean, wearing red Converse high tops, black combats, denim jacket and a white Beatles t-shirt which looked brand new.

"Who are you?" She bounced up, now to shake his hand, but they were interrupted by Clyde.

"Luke, d'you wanna go try out this new piece of tech? Luke could hear Clyde calling

"It's like a Sontaron blaster only-Oh. Hello – Luke who is this?" he covered for himself as he hid the gun behind his back.

"Ooh nice save" commented the girl wryly. "My name is Jane Smith. I'm the – I'm new around here. I was just getting acquainted with Luke. You must be Clyde."

She stood up so he could get the full measure of her. She was as tall as Luke, and she smiled innocently at him. He looked into those blue eyes...and he was putty in her hands.

"Hi...Jane. So, Luke's kept you quiet. Where you from? I know I haven't see you round"

"No you wouldn't of, I've just moved here recently. And _did you now_ Luke?" There was a double layering to her words – one he couldn't understand. She was reprimanding him for not mentioning her or was she? Something in those eyes told him she was grateful for his secrecy.

"So where ya from?" Clyde pressed, eager to regain her attention.

"Erm...Ireland?" She tried to sound sure but something in her voice gave her away.

"You don't sound Irish. You sound...northern English."

"Lot's of planets have a north!" she burst out. She looked horrified momentarily, "Places, I mean places." She muttered to regain her composure.

She smiled again, eager this time "Coming? I got something to show you."

"Where is it?"

"Your school."

He rolled his eyes but smile, he liked her, and as he grabbed his jacket and keys thought "What's the worst that could happen ?"


End file.
